April 29, 2001
Dr. Douglass Lobb Poised for Call as Interim Senior Minister
Else Landis Retires from Resource Center
From Rev. Charles Goldsmith...
Passover Festival and Seder Meal
The Church Council and the Personnel Committee have unanimously accepted the recommendation of the Search Committee that the Rev. Dr. Douglas L. Lobb receive the call as Interim Senior Minister of The First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa (FCC).
The Church Council's recommendation to call Dr. Lobb will be presented to the congregation for discussion and a vote at an all-church meeting scheduled for May 6, 2001. Audiotape cassettes of some of Dr. Lobb's sermons, from churches where he has served, will be available for listening between worship services on Sundays prior to the May 6 all-church meeting; ask the church office, or consult the Sunday worship bulletin, for details.
Dr. Lobb, well-known and respected throughout North American clergy circles, has a distinguished record of accomplishments in numerous fields. He will complete, in May, a highly successful term as Executive Secretary of the NACCC, the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, headquartered in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.
Immediately prior to his selection as NACCC Executive Secretary, Dr. Lobb was the Senior Minister at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church in Toronto, Ontario, one of Canada's most prominent churches and a member church of the United Church of Canada.
At Eaton Memorial, Dr. Lobb was Senior Minister to a large congregation and a staff of 54. The Toronto church, a cathedral structure which seats 1400, had one of its three Sunday services broadcast on one of Canada's most powerful radio stations; the church received many sermon-copy requests from throughout Canada and the Northeastern United States.
Dr. Lobb has served several large Congregational churches in the U.S., including Pilgrim Congregational Church in Pomona, California, where he was Senior Minister and in Milwaukee was Senior Co-Minister at North Shore Congregational Church and is remembered fondly there and with great admiration.
"AN OUTSTANDING PREACHER, TOO"
Dr. Lobb preached at FCC in 1999. His sermon and his style of delivery were both extremely well received here; one FCC member recalls his message as "one of our favorite sermons, both in style and substance." Dr. Lobb is a past recipient of the NACCC's' "Outstanding Sermon" Award.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
Dr. Lobb did his undergraduate work at Aurora University, Aurora Illinois and has degrees in English Literature, History and Theology. He has done graduate work at The School of Theology in Claremont, CA; California State University at Los Angeles; and at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem, Israel. He received his Doctor of Ministry Degree at the renowned McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL. In May 2000, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to religion in North America, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from the NACCC-related Piedmont College, Deforest, GA.
"IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS"
"Ministers must be many things, to many people, but above all, I consider my topmost strengths to be consensus building and healing. I have particularly enjoyed my ministry while working in those churches and organizations which seem to appreciate and need those qualities," Dr. Lobb said. "For ten months each year, I was the primary preaching minister in Toronto, managing a staff of 54 employees including clergy. I think the group there would agree that we built a harmonious staff and congregation, and that we had a successful, large and varied program of ministry. The worship services and weekly sermons meant a great deal to our members."
"As Executive Secretary of the NACCC, I am aware of some of the
dynamics occurring at FCC, and I would look forward to the opportunity to minister here, to one of our very finest churches. It would be a privilege for me to play a role in serving the church within the rich spirit of its own history and traditions, and to do so in The Congregational Way, while striving to bring stability to your church before another minister is called to this position."
As we have all heard said, "God often works in mysterious ways." The unusual synchronicity of events which led Dr. Douglas Lobb to prayerfully reconsider his own future plans and to consider the needs of FCC, comprise a set of answered prayers for which we are all extremely grateful. *
Plan to attend the All-Church Dessert Social on Tuesday, May 1, at 7:00 p.m.
You'll have a chance to meet Dr. Douglas Lobb, our candidate for the (Interim) Senior Minister position... and ask questions, too.
This will be a wonderful event for us all. Don't miss it!
For a number of years First Congregational Church has had the benefit of a beautifully organized and well-run Library/Resource Center. Though it seemed that books mysteriously appeared on the shelves and titles materialized in the catalog files as if from thin air; it didn't happen by magic. It was the result of the dedication and hard work of Else Landis and her committee of volunteers, including Rachael VerDuin, Georgia Kletti, Carrie Laubenheimer, and others. This group took responsibility for combining materials from the Parlor Library with the existing Library/Resource Center items. They catalogued hundreds of books and tapes, received and acknowledged many donations, tracked down overdue materials, and built an impressive collection of reference materials for Bible study. The good work of Else and her group has kept the Resource Center running smoothly for a long time. Our thanks to them for a job well done.
Over the past few months, Else has been looking for a church member to take responsibility for the Resource Center. Claudia Scholl, a new member of our church, has met with Else and the Board of Christian Education and will be taking on the task. "Else has told me that many books were acquired through the generous donations of the congregation and the Resource Center is primarily a 'browsing library.' My immediate goal is to maintain the library in a way that reflects the history and personality of First Congregational Church, and at the same time, acquire materials to support the spiritual journey of our Bible study groups, book clubs and individual members. Items that have not been circulated in many years and some duplicate titles need to be evaluated for removal and resale to provide space and funds for new materials. I want to thank Else for spending so many Friday mornings with me in the Resource Center to give me her perspective on the job."
If you have books, cassettes, compact discs, or videotapes you would like to donate to the Resource Center, please place them on the circulation counter in the library. A note indicating your name is greatly appreciated so we may acknowledge your donation. A fundraiser for the Library/Resource Center is in the planning for the fall of this year. If you have any suggestions or would like to volunteer to work in the Library, call Claudia Scholl at (414)774-8948, or contact the church office. *
The Search Committee has finished conducting their focus group interviews. They have collected 124 surveys. Diane Schowalter is busy consolidating all of the comments from the surveys and Mark Boettcher is tabulating the numbers.
The preliminary results show our three strongest desires are for:
Meaningful sermons that are intellectually and spiritually stimulating
An emphasis on spiritual leadership and growth
Engaging sermons that are well prepared and effectively delivered
Curiously, only 84% of the surveys contained responses to the theological position papers. Collectively, the average response was 4.02 on the three theological position papers (on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1=strongly disagree and 5=strongly agree). This would suggest that the survey respondents still align themselves with the basic covenants of congregationalism as set forth in the papers by Rev. Norm Ream, Rev. Steve Peay and the 1994 survey.
Look for the complete results and analysis of the Focus Group Surveys in the June edition of the Columns. *
William Blake (1757 1827), a poet, painter, and engraver, was a simple person in many ways. Yet his insight into our human condition is as profound as the Bible which was so important to him.
Blake wrote two sets of poems which characterize our movement through life: Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. After Easter, after the Resurrection story, we find ourselves following the symbols of childhood, adulthood, and then, as Blake proposed, a second "innocence" or high "innocence" found in our relationship with the Resurrected Christ.
Blake proposed that we often do not spend enough time with the "songs of innocence" in our own lives. Childhood is cut short by "experience." We do not have time to find out what God has given each of us in our own "innocence," before, through experience, we are asked to become "rational, disciplined, conforming, regimented."
Recognizing a "higher innocence" in Christ, Blake suggested
that true "freedom" and "liberty" come in recreating
our life, beyond experience, in the image of Christ.
(John 21:114). *
Rev. Charles E. Goldsmith
Minister of Pastoral Care
"Veggietown Values on the Job" will be held at First Congregational Church August 6--10, 2001. Kids 3 years old through 6th grade will discover why God made them special. They'll learn to do God's work at home, at school, at work and at play. Volunteers will help run the Veggietown Animation Studio, Courthouse, Doctor's Office, Factory, Pet Shop and much more.
Registration forms will be available near the Children's Library door beginning April 15. The cost is $10.00 for the first child, $5.00 for each additional child in a family. We'd like to encourage early registration so we can prepare materials such as name tags, craft supplies, and snacks in sufficient quantity for Veggietown's opening day. We'll accept registration through Sunday, August 5. If you need to register on Veggietown's opening day there will be an additional charge of $5.00 per child.
If you are able to join us in building citizens who do God's work, please indicate your area of interest on the registration form. We're looking forward to a wonderful Veggietown experience for kids and volunteers.
Mark your calendar now for Summer Youth Camp, July 1521. The Wisconsin Congregational Association (WCA) offers a rare blend of activities which, include Bible-based programs, faith-oriented discussion and all the usual summer camp activities such as swimming, boating, hiking, volleyball, crafts, star gazing and nightly, uplifting campfires with plenty of sharing from both counselors and campers.
Camp is divided into Junior High Camp for students who have completed grades 68 and Senior High Camp for those who've completed grades 912. We all gather for meals in the main lodge and then separate into our respective camp groups for a specific age-appropriate program.
The WCA offers this program (lucky for us) not far from Wauwatosa. Camp Whitcomb-Mason is operated by the Boys and Girls club of Greater Milwaukee and is a state-licensed facility. The camp is located on Lake Keesus, just north of Merton. The WCA's Youth and Camp Committee provides the staff and program. The committee is presently involved in the main planning stages and is preparing an awesome summer for everyone! Stop in the office and pick up a registration form or see Rev. Chris Rygh or Rev. Kathy Rust for all the latest information.
If you sign up by June 1, the fee is just $185... from June 2June 30 the fee is $210. July 1 or later the cost is $235. So sign up NOW to get the best rates. See you at camp this summer! *
Easter Breakfast a Success
The annual PF sponsored breakfast was a complete success this year, thanks in part to a new menu and some extra talent. "Rich and Sharon Raymond, Rod and Cathy Schmidt and Karen Schmidt offered their culinary talents to help us enhance the quality of the breakfast this year," said Chris Rygh, associate minister. "Easter is a special time and we wanted the brunch to look and taste a bit more inviting. Scrambled eggs and diced fruit are nice, but here we had a chance to do a little more." A special thanks goes to Mark and Peggy Carollo who contributed 300 fruit-filled croissants!
Summer Opportunities Approach
Several weeks ago, middle school and senior high students received applications
for a variety of summer opportunities. The National Association of Pilgrim
Fellowship meeting will be held in Lansing, MI from June 23-June 27. Several
groups of senior high students from Wisconsin are planning to make the 6-hour
trip, and will caravan to and from the event. Besides the NAPF meeting,
students are invited to stay an extra two days to complete a mission project
at Olivet College, outside Lansing.
Summer Camp will be held at Camp Whitcomb-Mason outside of Hartland the
week of July 15-21. Students who have completed grade 6 through 12 are invited
to attend. Our own Kathy Rust will be serving as one of the two Junior High
directors.
Camperships Await!
Any student who has been active in the PF ministries this year is eligible to receive funds for camp or NAPF. If you know of a student who desires to attend one of these special events, encourage them to contact Chris at 414-258-7375. Monies are available for students who have helped with this year's program and/or fundraising efforts. Funds may also be available for students who, though they do not participate on a regular basis, may need some extra support in order to attend one of these events. A simple form is all it takes to make a request.
Children's Sunday, May 20:
Unity Children's Sunday will be celebrated on Sunday, May 20.
On that Sunday, the 8:45 and 11:00 services will be combined at 10:00 as
students from both hours contribute portions to the worship. "This
year's theme is 'Unity'," said Chris Rygh, associate minister, "so
all of the classes will be linking into that theme. It is great way to draw
us together!" An ice cream social will follow.
Confirmation Set for June 3
This year's Confirmation Sunday will be Sunday, June 3 at 10:00. "It is appropriate to welcome our students into the church on this day because it is Pentecost Sunday," notes Chris Rygh, associate minister. "Pentecost is the day on which we celebrate the birth of the church. It is typical in Christian churches to either receive new members or to confirm students on Pentecost. We've tended to follow that model here at First Church." Sixteen students are expected to join on June 3. *
Moderator
Dick Koch
Vice Moderator
Cindy Payette
Treasurer
Diane Houriet
Assistant Treasurer
Jim Walsh
Church Clerk
Sally Boyle
Council
Nancy Fisher
Joan Halvorson
Paul Schulze
Benevolences
Sharon Petrie
George Wells
Christian Education
Nancy Harmon
Nancy Quinn
Julie Smith
Bill Donaldson, 1 year term
Fellowship
Mark Faby
Denise O'Meara
Jennifer Wareham, 2 year Term
Traci Elliott, 1 year Term
Care Board
Jennifer Breitzmann
Betsy Isenberg
Carrie Laubenheimer
Carol Buran, 2 year term
Sally Wells, 1 year term
Deacons
Jane Boyd
Roy Brouwer
Cheryl Hokenson
Sharon Raymond
Beej Wakefield
Trustees
Paul Dalley
Bill Edens
Charlie Wakefield
Nominating Committee
Alida Smith
Carol Wittig
Tom Godfrey
Praise be to Thee, O Lord our God, King of the universe. These were the words which reverberated throughout the evening as the Passover Seder was celebrated in the Upper Room behind the Great House off Church Street, on the evening of Wednesday, April 4, 2001.
The women and children were the high point of the evening's festivities. Prayers were offered, along with the ritualistic consumption of four glasses of the fruit of the vine, which was an integral part of the evening. We all participated in sharing the Matzoh, Pesach, Maror, Karpas, Saltwater, Haroses, Betzah and Afikoman. The young boys asked the four questions about why we remember this Passover evening and why we eat specific foods for this meal.
Midway during the evening, we shared a marvelous meal of Chicken Provencal and chocolate cake, all of this prepared by our famous chefs John Sgarlata and Beej Wakefield. Members of the Fellowship and Christian Education Boards were wonderfully helpful, creating all the interesting Jewish tastes.
One of the highlights of the evening was the retrieving of the Afikoman (Last Morsel) to be shared during the Lord's Supper. All the children hid the Afikoman earlier in the evening and then went hunting for their Afikoman and received a prize if they found it.
We shared in the words of the Benediction as the evening came to a close. "May God bless the whole body of Christ and the whole house of Israel with freedom, and keep us safe from danger. May God cause the light of His countenance to shine on all people and dispel the darkness of ignorance and of prejudice. May God be gracious unto us. May God lift up His countenance on our people and grant peace to us and all humankind. And we went forth into the world to love and serve our Lord." *
Congratulations to our wonderful Sunday School students for their hard work to raise money for the Honduras mission! Over the past several weeks, the Sunday School classes have sponsored a variety of creative fundraisers with an overwhelmingly positive response from our church members in support of the students' efforts and the Honduras mission. Their sales were highly successful.
Class Event Amount
Prekindergarten/Kindergarten - Bake Sale - $124.00
1st Grade - Easter Basket Sale - $155.00
2nd and 3rd Grades - Popcorn Sale - $75.00
5th and 6th Grades - Lenten Devotional Book Sale - $316.00
7th Grade - Shoe Shine - $87.00
The 4th7th Grades, Covenant and High School classes were given the opportunity to contribute prayers to the Lenten Devotional Book, as well. The total of $757 will be a great help toward giving the children in Honduras something we may often take for granted: a playground. Thanks to the Sunday School students, their parents, their teachers and the church staff for their contributions in making these events happen. Also, thanks to our generous membership for all rallying around the students to purchase their products and services! *
Saturday April 7th was a cool and foggy morning, but it did not keep more than 65 of us from our coffee and cake and a wonderful and peaceful time with Sister Cauley and her "flower talk" and her art. We even were reminded that fog could be a good thing if you remember your scripture! It was a fitting SPRING THING and the weather reminded us how close it is when we left church and it was in the 70's!!
Next month will be a special time-a sort of mini retreat with Rev. Holly Whitcomb helping us take time for a relationship with God and with ourselves. "A Circle of Sisters: Caring for Ourselves, Making Room for God" will be a fitting close for our "season." Rev. Whitcomb is a clergywoman in the United Church of Christ serving churches in several states, founder of the Kettlewood Retreats, and a freelance writer. We are looking forward to this time with her and each other. Remember to call the office and add your name to the list and let us know if you'd like to help with something for this our last meeting until fall. We'll be unplugging the coffee pot until September but we're already making plans stay tuned! Try to bring a friend you won't be sorry and we'll see you on the 5th of May. *
by Char Schweitzer
The Prayer Ministry was begun as a function of the Care Board in 1995. It was decided that our first order of business was to work on developing our prayer lives and the rest would follow. Several people volunteered to pray for the Church and its members. A prayer request book was placed in the Narthex and members were invited to share their concerns for themselves, their families and friends. We have prayed for the seriously ill, the bereaved, the troubled. The results have been heartwarming and, at times, wondrous.
However, in recent months, it seems the purpose of the Prayer Request Book was misunderstood. For that reason, it was temporarily removed. We apologize to those who were seeking comfort through shared prayer.
The Prayer Request Book is once again outside the Chapel. Please take time to read the requests and include them in your daily prayers. if you wish to serve in this ministry, please contact Pat Schwai at (262) 781-0650. *
Time is whirling by this spring; however, we do not want to let the crunch of our busy lives let us turn our backs upon many who have been sharing worship with us and are eager to "join" with the fellowship. The Deacons, Rev. Chris Rygh and Rev. Kathy Rust are now planning a series of Sunday events for those considering membership.
We will meet at 10:00 a.m. on April 29 (between services) and at 9:00 a.m. on May 20th (before the 10:00 service.) We plan to officially welcome new members on Sunday, June 10 during the worship service. If you are interested in becoming a part of this fellowship as a member, please stop at the church office or call (258-7375) to let us know who you are.
CONGREGATIONAL HOME SEEKS PART-TIME VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR.
This 20-hr /wk. position offers full benefits and a caring and supportive management team. Questions? Call Human Resources 262-781-0550 or fax resume 262-781-0559. Applications accepted weekdays 8:304:30 and Sat., 93:00.
Senior Women
The final meeting will be Monday, May 14, 11:00 a.m. in Friendship Lounge. The program will feature the Senior Choir and Senior Orchestra. Following the program, a luncheon will be served - cost $6.50.
For reservations, call Ruth Karl at
414-462-6407 by May 10. Anyone needing rides call Holly 262-560-0292 or
Chris 262-695-1059. All are welcome.
All-Church Dinner
The popular Sauerbraten and Dumpling All-Church Dinner will be Wednesday, May 2. Absolutely no reservations will be taken after Monday, April 30. Cost is $5/adult, $3/child.
"The Muth Family...
thanks our church family for all your prayers, love and concern."
Election Meeting on May 6
The annual Election Meeting of the church will take place Sunday, May 6 at 1:30 p.m. in the Social Hall. The slate of candidates will be presented by the Nominating Committee at that time. The agenda:
1. Elections
A. Presentation of Candidates
B. Election
2. Consideration of Call of Interim Minister, Rev. Douglas Lobb
3. Review of budget including reports from Trustees, Stewardship, and Budget & Finance
4. Consider items contained in the second petition for a Special Meeting, filed by more than 50 members of the congregation. Details were forwarded in a letter from the Moderator and posted on the church bulletin boards.
A. Reading of Call for Special Meeting
B. Action on Business of Special Meeting
The deadline for submitting articles for the next issue of the Columns is
www.FirstChurchTosa.org
Editor, Beth Linscott
Communications Committee
Char Schweitzer - Chairperson,
De McDermott, John O'Meara, Mary York
*
Rev. Lonnie Richardson, Senior Minister
Rev. Kathryn Rust, Associate Minister
Rev. Chris Rygh, Associate Minister
Rev. Dr. Charles Goldsmith, Minister of Pastoral Care
Rani Gusho, Administrator
Lee Jacobi, Director of Music
Betty Dethmers, Organist
Michelle Jackson, Parish Nurse
Sally Boyle, Secretary
Nancy Grundle, Secretary
Anne Callen, Secretary
Charles Nelson, Administrator, Congregational Home, Inc.
Rev. Norman S. Ream, Minister Emeritus
*
Vol. 10, Issue 4
